Gantry crane



B. F. HTCH. GANRY CRANE. AFPLICATION EILED SEPT. 9, 41920.

Patented Dec.

4 SHEETS-SHEET www@ B. F. FITCH.

GANTRY CRANE.

APPLICATION FLED SEPT. 9.11920. 1,43'72966. Putent De@2 5,1922.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

Een fr i I EV "/@af/f; Z-mrnys B. F. FITCH.

GANTRY CRANE. APPLICATIONHLEDSEPLQ.1920.

1,43%966, f Patented Dec. 5, 1922.

4 SHEETS SHEEY 4..

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/ y i V v /tqgrn Ely s J the top` of the triangular supportingmembers and may com rise a ltruss having a lower cord i0 which' las a portion thereof extending outwardly beyond the. platform l to .overhang the truck runway, together with the upper cords 41 which may be joined to al l gusset plate 42 connected with the vertical..

and lower cords to pro'videa rigid .non-

A verted rails is to receive the upward thrust flexible truss, While additional reinforcing meansmaybeprovided by the oblique mernbersI inenten ing from the lower cord to the vertical supporting members.

To support the inner end of the main frame l providewheels-T carri d in suitable brackets on the transverse en plate 76, and adapted to travel on the rails 14. These rails may he supported on brackets 77, 78, which are rigidly secured to the building l2 by any suitable means.' The purposeot inand prevent tipping' of the crane when the load ris supported on that portion'of the main frame which overhangs the truck -runway. The clearance between the rails la and the wheels 75 is only sufficient to prevent an y binding action as the crane travels on the. platform. Obviously when a loaded body is. hoisted and transported from a truck to the platformv the bearing strain is chan ged from thigupper set of wheels to the, lower set ot wheels as soon as the load passes inwardly over the rail 13.

By supporting the inner en d ot the crane by'tlxe Wall at an eievated point l leave en tirely unobstructed the inner edge of the platform so that i may utilize it tor its full width. Dopvvays through the building; .Wall are thus free from obstructionl by gantry legs, 1nd the danger to persons aiu property which would result from such gantry legtravelingn closelyacross a door openingl is avoided. The expense of construction is also reduced by this elevated inner support.

Extending longitudinally of the overhead `truss are trackways 50 which, as shown in Fig'. 2, are supported 'by separated plates or brackets 5l which extend inwardly 'from the lower cord ,40. This trackway 5() constitutes a supporting; means for a supplemental trame. from which th'eload tis suspended and which is operable.'independently of the main frame and is adapted to travel transverselyof the platform l0. rihis supplemental frame mayl comprise a faliricated structl'ire'having` longitudinal members connected by the end transverse members 5G, 57. r-ll`he supplemental frame is supported on vwith the driving wheels.

nevose wheels 58 which are positioned between the end members 56 and 57 and adapted to travel on the trackway 50.

duction gearing 6l, on the shatt 62, and then through the gearingl (S3 to the wheels Al prefer to extend the shaft (32 longitudinally of the supplemental trame and to employ pinions at each end ot the shaft connected .fl mechanical brake (notshown) may be attached to the n'iotor to retard motion of the. supplemental, frame when the motor is disconnected.

rthe'supplemental trame carries thc hoisting mechanism. which comprises a plurality ot cables (S5 extending from the `winding drums (S6, over the sheaves (SY. to suitable load engaging;- devices. The winding drums 6G maybe operated through the ,gearing (35% by the motor (S9, which is supported on the beams intermediate the Aends of the sup. pleinental trame. Suitable control mechanism (not shown) may be provided for reguf latino;` the speed ot the hoistingF cable, while a seltdocking device, preferably a worm and worm gear wheel, may be provided within the casing 7l, to prevent sudden downward movement ot' a loaded truck body.

ln Fig. 4 l have shown a partial layout oi' a 'freight platform provided with my traveling' crane having the strut or truck runway ll and the buildingF l2 ad ont thereto. .fis shown in' this layoutsuiiticient space is provided on the platform for a passageway between rows ot bodies for the hand trucking of L. (l. L. shipments. 'lhe building l2 be a 'warehouse or a terminal station, having a floor or interior platform on a level (with the outer platform l()7 and provided with doorways tor trucking' either the removable bodies or packages trom one platform to another. The outer .platform inay'haveY provision for' teams to handle packages either for incoming or outgoing freight, while the inner plattrm may be adjacent a set of railroad tracks. whereby a body may be loaded,

sealed andtransported from one 'city to another. l

Assuming;r that a truck 16 having' a loaded body 1'? stops at any position adjacent the platform, wherein. there is an opening tor a truck, then the main frametravels longitu dinally of the platform and the suppleinen 'tal trame travels transversely thereof, until the load engaginglr means is positioned directly over the body. After the body is manually engaged and hoisted to clear the lil() truck the main frame t avels longitudinally ot the platform) whi e the supplen'iei'ital frame travels transversely thereof. until the body is over "al space where the load is to be deposited.

The load is then. deposited5 in Leaf/,ece

this vacant space, and the crane is transvfio ported tol a load on the platform which is ready for transportation. This load is then hoisted and conveyed to'the' .truclr, Where upon the truck may be immediately dis patched 'under the direction of a freight dispatcher. n

. From the oregoing'description it will be seen that I have provided a mechanism :for hoisting and conveying removable truck bodies; that l have orovided a mechanism which is adapted to be installed on existing. plat forme, which are adjacent buildings such as a terminal station and a truck runway or street, and that I have provided a device which is simple in form and efficient and durable in use. Y

Having thus 'described my invention, I claim:

l. The combination with a station platf 'form adapted to support removable automobile bodies, of a building adjacent to one side of the platform, a truck runwayadjacent the other side of the platform, atraveling frame movable longitudinallyI of the platform and'supported at its inner end b an overhead trackway adjacent to the wa l of the building, legs supporting said frame on a traclrway adjacent. to the outer edge of the platform. said legs being spaced apart suiiiciently to allow the passage of an automobile body, and said frame overhanginp,r said truck runway, hoisting means movable on the frame adapted to travel transversely of the platform and convey a removable automobile body from a truclron the runway onto the platform, there 'being a doorway through the wall of the buildingv through which the contents of said body may be trucked from the platform to the interior of the building.

2. The combination with a platform, intermediate a street and the supporting wall of a building, removable automobile bodies on the platform, one rail carried by the latform, two rails carried by the Wall o the building, atraveling overhead frame, said 'frame having one side thereof supported or the rail first, mentioned, thelother side of the v frame being supported by two sets of wheels disposed in planes one above the other and traveling on the wall rails, a traclrway nur ried by said trame and extending; beyond one side o f the platform, and hoisting vmechanism supported by said trackway, whereby a truck body may be raised and transported from the street to the platform, and versag 3. In combination, a freight platform having removable bodies thereon, a truck `ruinway extending along one side of the'plat form, a building wall adjacent the .other side of the platform,two superimposed rails su ported by said Wall, two seta of wheels dis posed one above the other, and positioned intermediate the rails and adapted to travel thereon, a frame having one side thereof connected with said Wheels, the other side building adjacent the other side thereof, said frame supported intermediately by the platform and atvone side by the wall of the building, the other side thereof `being adapted to overhang the truck runway, the wall supporting means comprising two superimposed yoverhead rails, two sets of Wheels disposed one above the other and carried' b' the frame. and positioned, intermediate sai' rails, a supplemental frame movable on the n main frame and adapted to travel from the wall 'of the'building to a point beyond the intermediate supporting means, and hoisting mechanism depending,Y from the supplemental rame for engaging. and raising said bodies. f

In testimony whereof, I hereunto affin'my signature..

' BENJAbHN-F. FTGH.- 

